one, two, three

Recently one of our "house" cats gave bearth to six kittens.
One red, two white, three grey, but that's how it goes here, with many fathers involved in love affairs.

House cats means they live around the house, some on a distance, some less shy, all of them always looking for some food to add to the daily menu hunted around the house.

Many people here have some farm cats, keeping mice or a passing snake at a pleasant distance.
Most of them just use people to get an extra meal, some of them, like ours :-), become friends.

We enjoy their company, like we enjoy all life around us, and as long as they don't enter our house it's ok.
Following bearth and the growing up of these little "raskals" is pure fun, making us smile every day.

Still not real cat persons (dogs still are our favorites) we share our happy life here with these animals, as much amazed about the beauty of life in the Dalmatinska Zagora as this little white "monster".

now listen !!!!!!

Listen to me, as I will not tell you again (today :-).
It's about time you understand why I write this blog, so once more:

"Visit the DALMATINSKA ZAGORA when visiting the coast" .

And for those of you who don't know what Dalmatinska Zagora means, it's all that lies behind the coast.
So to say the hinterland, everything between the coast and the border, everything behind the Adriatic and before Bosnia.

Capito ?!?!
I want you to understand this is where the real life is being lived, in all those tiny little villages.
In the very middle of nature, between high and less high mountains, in small valleys and a bit larger peaces of farmland.
Between grapes, olives, cherries, apples, plums, figs, and a wide range of organic vegetables.
With chickens, goats, sheep, ducks and some pigs.

And of course mountains, rocks, boulders, caves, rivers like the Cetina (a beauty of 105 kilometers, not only the canyon), springs, small ponds, woods and wetlands.
Silent unspoiled slow streaming canoe water, but also energetic wild white rafting water.

Numerous birds, nighingales and eagles, known and less known, lizzards, turtles and yes, some snakes too.
Don't be afraid, they don't kill, just be careful and enjoy them from a safe distance.

And if hungry, well known restaurants like Radmanova Mlinice, Kastil Slanica and Krememko, but also less known places like Konoba Tadic and Konoba Konjak (and no doubt a lot more in each and every small town).
Not only the door to door pizza's, but original, tasty fish or meat from the grill, accompanied by organic potatoes and salads, followed by a slice of dripping sweet watermelon.
Want wine, try local, as all wine here is tasty (and strong) !!!

And if you want to buy a horse or a cow, new shoes or some gardening tools, or perhaps because you're hungry, there is a farmers market in Zadvarje every tuesday.

So, when coming to Croatia, heading for Dalmatia, relaxing from a stressfull job between let's say Trogir and Makarska, don't make me angry, don't say "oh, I did'nt know that", as I have told you once again, here in the Dalmatinska Zagora is where the fun starts.

Feel free to contact me, the mail address is in the header of this blog.
I know some truly good people who make your visit the very best, from place to stay to excursion.
Including a visit to Split, Trogir, Krka or Plitvice, but also to less known places, and even over the Bosnian border to Livno, where about twohundred horses live in the wild.

But..........write it down and don't forget:

"visit the Dalmatinska Zagora".


CAPITO ?!?
:-)

why wait for summer ????

If spring is such a glorious season in Dalmatia, why wait for summer ?
Don't give me the answer, I know !
Springtime is wonderful overhere.

FIRE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What to say to a picture like this one ?
Ok, nothing for once.

if you don't like this view, check some other blog !

One of the many views from our valley.

Previous blogpost, with the "erotic" figs showed a close up, this one shows an immense panorama.
Whatever you like or choose, it's all here !
And "here" is in and around our valley, in the Dalmatinska Zagora.
And NO, before you ask, a trip of let's say 1 hour already opens your eyes and heart.
(Within a circle of 2 hours there is more than for just one holiday).

All people love our coast, thousands come for a splendid holiday.
Most of them enjoy themselves in and at the Adriatic, which is fine of course.
Lot's of them go to see antique cities like Split or Trogir (my favorite by the way).
And many go for some excursion, a couple of hours rafting on the Cetina, a visit of Biokovo.
All of it great, all of it perfect.
(When going for a rafting sensation, choose the better ones, as penny wise is still pound foolish".

.....................However....................
You need either have the right "expedition spirit" or a well informed local guide (like me:-).
Ho, before you think I look for a job, I don't !!!!

Should you however insist, I am sometimes in a good mood, and if I like you, I might consider to take you to some fantastic, hardly known, superb spots.

As living here, I regularly get into my car and drive a bit around, chasing beauties.
For instance, in case you want to go on your own, check this one:

Drive from Svinisce to Kucice, than on (and on) along the Cetina deep left of you, till you see a sign Slime.
Turn right, away from the Cetina, up the mountain road, till you are actually in Slime.
There you'll see a sign, right again, at a next road up, heading for Konoba Tadic.
Up you drive, narrow but all of them good roads, till you reach that konoba (restaurant in Croatian).

The view from their terrace is truly amazing, far, really far over the land deep below, deep into Bosnia.
Sit down, ask for a drink, perhaps even a lunch, and enjoy the panorama.

And ask the owner if you can see his old stone houses, as they are truly beautiful  with loads of prsut (the famous Dalmatian dried smoked aged ham.

There, dear reader, you will discover what this blog is all about.
And that is only one of the many secrets, most tourists never get to see, which is a pity and a shame.
Why ?

Because the Dalmatinska Zagora hides thousands of beauties, and promotion of the Dalmatinska Zagora should be done by people who love to share it's beauty, not necessarily grabbing for your money in the first place.

Sorry to say, many "excursions" are only meant to sell you some surrogate, like a thin soup made of much water and a tiny peace of meat.
I know, I know, people have to earn a living, but do you come to Dalmatia to sponsor it's economy or do you come for a unique experience, making you fall in love, making you come back !!!
And again and again and again.

Perhaps ending in living here, like we did.
Guess you understand now why we left Holland :-).

Feel free to mail me, the address is in the header of this blog.
Also you can check my pages on Virtual Tourist ( VT ), also with a contact address.
I am always open to relevant questions, and because I protect my freedom, I can always connect you to some truly good people, who give you value for money !

erotic fruits

Erotic fruits, that's what figs are !
Couldn't resist (re-)publishing this picture, like I did once before.

As spring has not yet arrived here, the cats have their kittens, birds are returning and nature is changing to green again day by day, so it will be spring soon (as always).

However summer is still far away, the moment will come the figs ripen at the trees again, waiting to be picked, one by one, sipping the sweet juice leaking on my hand.

Fresh they are the very best, dried still a fantastic nutritious addition to winter tables.
As you know what they say: "a fig a day keeps the apples away".
(And the doctor :-).

Should you want to dry figs yourself, here are some tasty tips:
-dry them in open sunlight.
-dip them twice in seawater (preserving and adding taste).
-wrap them in a paper bag, with dried leaves of laurel between them.
Like this you can store them for months and months.

Warning:
The milky juice from branches and stems of fig trees may cause some allergic reaction to some people.
So better avoid contact with it, and enjoy it's flesh.

what a view (on Biokovo Mountain)

See previous page.
And for sure follow this blog, as there is more to come !

The picture shows Biokovo Mountain like a Swiss alp, taken from the SW side, close to a little village called Slime.

For details on the park, click here: BIOKOVO

Switserland ?, Austria ?, no ,this also is Dalmatia !!!!!

So up we went, up the road into Biokovo, heading for the summit at Sv. Jure, but happy with every meter less as long as we found snow.

And snow we found, already at 3000 ft. (1000 meters), driving carefully on a clean road, surrounded by sometimes a meter or more of snow walls left and right.

We are the lucky ones, we live here all year round, but to those who think Dalmatia is only worth a summer visit, wrong you are indeed.

Sad enough there are no prepared pistes (why not, on the N/E side ?), but for people who like the unbelievable combination of winter sun at the Adriatic combined with a winter wonderland like this, a stay in or around Makarska is certainly a good advice.

As it's still winter, not all days are as good, but who cares, as you can always plan a trip to Split, visiting one of the many museums, a concert or one of the enormous modern shopping malls (City Center One for instance), or just sit back at one of the many terraces, covered from wind or rain, with a good book and a good glass.

But íf it's one of those (also) many sunny days, any trip into the Dalmatinska Zagora (the hinterland) or Biokovo Mountain shows you how beautiful Dalmatia is before the beaches are covered with sun seeking lazy relaxing tourists.

And do see my previous page about Makarska's best pastries, a great way to finish an afternoon's walk in the "Alps".

snowy whirlwinds on Mount Biokovo

First of all, this is not one of my pictures.
I found it "somewhere" when looking for recent information about the conditions on Biokovo.
Great shot however, and if it's yours, my compliments and I'll gladly pay you with a good meal, so just let me know.

At the moment weather conditions on Biokovo are harsh and dangerous.
Strong stormy winds, combined with deep snow (up to two meters and even more), the situation on the top at Sv. Jure couldn't be less inviting to human beings.
And even for the wolves living on and around Biokovo, running from Bosnia's winter conditions, have a hard time finding a decent steak :-).

However very much a fan of such conditions on Biokovo with thick snow and enough traces to have a look at, I prefer to wait a bit, till the wind has gone, and still thán it's not "a walk in the park".

This makes Biokovo a highly interesting peace of rough nature, as the conditions there are truly different from season to season.
Winter on this mountain ís wínter, summer there is really summer, spring and autumn are equally special, each of those seasons extremely expressive in it's kind.
And with extremely I mean EXTREMELY, as winter season there is colder than cold, summers hotter than hot.
Even more special, Biokovo has both an adriatic ánd a continental climate zone, which makes it even more special in it's variety of fauna and specially flora.

But that variety of climate zones and micro climates is typical for this part of Croatia, as each valley has a different climate, due to more shade or direct sunlight, mountain rigs and secluded valleys, and the way winds are moving through this area.

And even when nót going to Biokovo, looking how clouds move over, up ánd down various mountains here (like Mosor and Omiska Dinara) is fantastic to observe.

Currently even Mosor is snow covered on it's high slopes, however there it does not stay long, as when the sun shows up again it's bye bye to that white hat.

So if you think Dalmatia is only interesting in summer,
you couldn't be more wrong !
A visit in spring is more than advisable for nature lovers, and should you be around, as soon as the wind slows down, it's a fantastic scene, even for cross country skiing !!!

If interested, look here for actual weather conditions on Biokovo.
www.freemeteo.com/default.asp?pid=15&gid=3204115&la=11

I (did) HATE cats

Did I say, I did hate cats, especially when we still had our dog, but that was a dislike I shared with our dog.
The dog passed away after a more than happy life, and as no other dog could even compare to our dog, no animal came to fill the gap.

Until, until we moved to Dalmacija, to our hidden valley, where having cats is as normal as not having snakes, as cats take care of snakes that come a bit to close for comfort.
We didn't even buy or get cats, they just showed up one day.

The black/grey cat for instance, showed up one day, in a terrible state, crying for some food.
From the looks came her name "Sporki".
(She looked like a dirty carpet, translated in Croatian: "Sporki tapet").

Most other cats don't have a name, just "white", "red" or "black" (not on this picture) is ok, as long as they get their daily portion of food.
None of them comes into the house, that's óur territory, they all are free cats, hunting and sleeping when and wherever they like.
We just get their love when they want their meal, and hurry up please !

And much to my surprise I turned from a notorious cat hater into an amused cat lover.
(As long as they stay outside, as inside is and will be my territory, where only dogs are allowed).
Each of them has a specific character and habits, and it's fun to observe them.

Dalmacija does change people !

the móst beautiful place...............

Each and every time I am amazed by Dalmacija's beauty, this time however, I am sure: THIS IS IT.
Will I stop scrolling around, the answer is nó, of course not.

To tell you a little story how this beauty came on my path:
A few days ago, me and my friend Robert (the guy from www.malimlin.com) took a day of and loaded our canoes on the roof of the car and went to do another section of the Cetina.

Drove from Svinisce to Kucice, following the Cetina till the bridge to Kostanje, crossed to the other side of the river and at the very first steep corner we left the asphalt to enter a dirt road following the Cetina upstream.

There we took a tiny road to the right leading us to the Cetina's banks, where we dropped the canoes into the water.
Slowly slowly slowly (polako in Croatian) we peddled upstream through a beautiful shady tunnel of trees, crossing some minor rapids dragging our canoes, and on we went, to the next rapid ( they are just about thirty centimeters high, so no big deal, step out, drag the canoe through and on you go again).

Than, the canopy opened, and we where on this extreme spot, where this waterfall came down in a silent secluded lake where even the fish are not afraid.
On the left (in the shade) the main canyon of the Cetina ends, so we slowly entered till a natural wall showed up, behind which a roar of the big waterfalls of the Cetina sounded.

Being "doctor Livingstone" that day, I ignored my slowly healing six broken ribs and climbed up the blockade about seven meters high, and looked into a deep pit where the water was falling down in a continuous gust of rumbling water, loaded with energy.
Somehow all that water flows deep under that barrier during the summer season, but for sure the level rises many meters when the rainy season fills the Cetina again to a less friendly level.
In summer however, specially this very dry summer, the place was like a mirror, with impressive walls rising high above us.

We stopped at a tiny sandy beach, took our swimming goggles and swam around in fresh clear water, totally silent, enjoying each and every second we spent there.

Question: is the Zagora (the hinterland) of Dalmacija worth a visit, an "expedition" if you want, the answer is:
!!!! HELL YES !!!!

And if you still think Dubrovnik, Split, Trogir (!!!) should grab you (by the balls) during your visit, with Plitvice, Biokovo, Kornati or Krka as cherries on your sunsoaked Adriatic holiday cake, right you are,
but wrong you are if you think you've seen it all !!!!

On top of it all, we finished the day with another discovery, a true Dalmatian diner at Konoba Kunjak in Kucice (www.kunjak.com).
A "simple" meal of roasted lamb (the very best !!!), some home made fries, a couple of beers and as a gesture from the owner, a dish of chilled watermelon and melon to top it all of.
The drive home was a bit "ehhhhhh", but not very long as the whole expedition took us from start to finish less than twentyfive kilometers (with a couple of kilometers in the canoe of course).
For sure we will go back there, as Hvala Bogu (thank God), they don't serve pizza's at this konoba, and no doubt this very special hidden lake is on my list now too.

And to those of you staying in Omis, Kucice is just 15 minutes into the Zagora, ánd worth the trip if you prefer to have a true taste of Dalmacija's basic but delicious kitchen.

Dalmacija, ja volim te (I love you).

PS:
-Those of you who like to go DWS (deep water soloing) come here, as you can even choose to do it naked as nobody sees you going nuts !!!!!!
-Should you want to experience the impressive canyon without a canoe, a couple of adventure organisations guide you through safely, canyoning like you never did before.
-And if you need coordinates or some details, mail me at the address in the header of this blog.
(For those of you familiar with google maps, I attached a location marker to this post).